My New Book:The Diplomat

My New Book-The Diplomat – is a political fiction set in Oslo, with two main characters. The Ambassador from The African Union Federation and A Senior adviser to the “Natives”- the party in power.

I set the book two years in the future with the national security and future economy of Norway is at stake. The very first Ambassador from the African Union Federation is the central character in a story that sees Norway wanting to stake its economic future through big investment in Africa. The African continent’s key role is becoming more and more prominent; the novel gives a good overview of the economic developments in Africa.

Ambassador Geraldo is not entirely convinced of the benefits of Norwegian investments for ordinary Africans. He is also concerned about permeating old attitudes.

Through the ambassador, we get a glimpse into the future of the security situation in Norway and Europe.

The Diplomat can be read like a mini-textbook where the author has used fictional characters to present facts. The reader is served the story of The Organization of African Unity, The African Union, Africa-China relation, and a status report that provide insight into the economic situation in Norway in 2017 and beyond.

Cleverly using memos and diplomatic cables, I present a picture into future economic and political relations.

In the book, I also go back in history to give my story an historical and political perspective. I write about the history of the now de funked Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU); I write about the role played by Haile Selassie; I write about the difficulties in creating a United States of Africa and I look at the earlier political challenges many African countries faced just after independence.

I also introduced my non Norwegian audience to the Norwegian economy; oil politics, the oil fund, Norway’s border with Russia(the history) and the I discussed the “Jante loven”.

Having spent his adult life in the United States, the Ambassador was fascinated by this “Janteloven”. In some ways, the Janteloven began to give him an understanding of some aspects of Norwegian people and society.

He began to understand why politicians and Government officials use public transport; why they would go shopping just like everyone else; why people hardly noticed them in public.

He also begin to see how such a Janteloven would have been good for Africa; the Africa his parents and grandparents were born to.

If only the colonialist had not just followed the opposite of all the 10 principles of Janteloven, probably there would not have been the civil wars and tribal wars.

The colonial “master” told Africans they were not smart: that Africans were inferior; that African culture and practices were uncivilized and backward and so on.

With this book, I provide a picture of a future in which the African continent is single market on a path to becoming a single political entity. I also provide a picture of Norway that find herself in an increasingly insecure Europe due to trouble making by Russia. At the same time, the Norwegian economy is facing challenges due to low oil prices and her need to be less dependent on oil.